we have handed the taliban a tactical defeat in the south, as significant as what we have done in 2001 when we first went into the country and very, very dramatic and the challenge we have is this president's decision to scale the forces down so significantly, by september of next year, puts that -- those gains at risk, and, also, puts at risk what we are trying to do in the east, next year between kabul and the pakistani border. >> jamie: sounds like the way you are describing it, we are on track. >> we're on track but i'm concerned, the forces coming up so quickly will put the mission at risk and remains to be seen whether we can accomplish the mission, and i don't like saying it but that is the truth. >> jamie: what about leadership? i have read reports and you can certainly tell me, whether it's is true or not, that hamid karzai is really not in control. we have seen a family member of his and also some people in the administration, there, be assassinated. >> look, karzai is what he is. i mean, there's a central government in afghanistan but it is a power broker, patron agent syste